Electric barrier device



" July 9, 1963 FH. BROWN ETAL 3,

ELECTRIC BARRIER DEVICE f Filed Jan. 19, 1961 MAURICE HENRY BROWN LOUIS R. GIATTINO INVENTORS ATTORNEXS United States Patent Of ice 3,097,281 Patented July 9, 1963 The invention herein described may be manufactured and used by or for the Government of the United States of America for governmental purposes without the payment of any royalties thereon or therefor.

The present invention relates to an electric barrier device and more particularly to an electric barrier device having positive locking means.

In known electronically initiated explosive trains, safety is provided in the use of ordinary commutator type switches as a means for interrupting the flow of energy to the detonator. This type of switch does not provide the necessary safety as is provided in an out of line or barrier type explosive train.

An object of the present invention is to provide means for forming a barrier in an electric circuit.

Another object of the invention is to provide an electric barrier device which will automatically lock in either the active or inactive position.

A further object of the invention is to provide a switch which will render an electrically initiated explosive train as safe as an out of line or barrier type explosive train.

Other objects and many of the attendant advantages of this invention will become readily appreciated as the same becomes better understood by reference to the following detailed description When considered in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of an embodiment of the invention;

FIGURE 2 is a plan view of the embodiment of FIG- URE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a sectional view taken along the lines 33 of FIGURE 2.

FIGURE 4 is a perspective view of another embodiment of the invention;

FIGURE 5 is a plan view of the embodiment of FIG- URE 4; and

FIGURE 6 is a sectional view taken along the lines 6-6 of FIGURE 5.

Referring now to the drawings wherein like parts are designated by the same reference characters throughout the several views, there is shown in FIGURES 1, 2 and 3 an electrical circuit barrier device having two fixed conductive members or contacts 10 and 11 mounted on insulating members 12 and 113 respectively and a conductive member or shorting bar 14 mounted on a Geneva gear wheel 16. The Geneva gear Wheel 16 is a disc having a cut-out portion, or radial slot 17, and arcuate lock-up portions 18. A Geneva drive wheel 19 is mounted on shaft 21 with a drive pin 22 secured thereto and a lock-up portion 23 which engages arcuate lock-up portion 18 on gear wheel 16. Conducting member 14 is insulated from gear wheel 16 by means of thin sheets of insulating material 24, 25.

FIGURES 1 and 2 show movable conducting member 14 in the disengaged position while FIGURE 3 shows conducting member engaging contacts 11, 12. In the position shown in FIGURES 1 and 2 electricity cannot flow from contact 10 to contact 11 because of the insulating barrier consisting of an air gap and insulating members '24 and 26. The circuit is safe in this position with lock-up portion 23 of drive wheel 19 engaging the arcuate lock-up portion 18 of gear wheel 16. In the activated position (FIGURE 3) the barrier has been removed and element 14 completes the electric circuit.

Referring now to FIGURES 4, 5 and 6 Geneva gear wheel 50 hearing conducting member 51 is a disc of any suitable dielectric material and Geneva drive wheel 52 is composed of two outer discs 53, 54 and a smaller diameter disc 56 co-acting with arcuate lock-up portions 57, 58. A drive pin 59 is "between discs 53, 54 and engages slot 61 to drive wheel 50. In the safe or open position the barrier between contacts 62, 63 is insulating wheel 50 and the barrier is removed by rotating gear wheel 50 until conducting member 51 engages contacts 62 and 63.

Obviously many modifications and variations of the present invention are possible in the light of the above teachings. It is therefore to be understood that within the scope of the appended claim the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically described.

What is claimed is:

An improved switch mechanism having actuated and unactuated positions for use in ordnance devices which provides protection against accidental shorting of the switch contacts from foreign matter comprising: a first electric terminal and a second electric terminal defining the switch contacts, a Geneva gear wheel interposed between said first and said second electric terminals, insulating barrier members attached to opposite planar faces of said Geneva gear wheel, an electric conducting member attached to said Geneva gear wheel, said insulating barrier members being concentric with the peripheral edge of said Geneva wheel so as to be interposed between said first and said second electric terminals whenever the switch mechanism is in its unactuated position, said electric conducting member being so disposed on said Geneva wheel with respect to said insulating barrier members so that said electric conducting member conductively engages said first 'and second electric terminals in the actuated position of said switch mechanism, and a driving Geneva wheel means engaging said Geneva gear wheel so that rotatory movement of said driving Geneva wheel means causes rotary motion of said Geneva gear wheel, said Geneva wheel means and Geneva gear wheel being so operatively coupled as to lock said switch mechanism when in its actuated and unactuated positions whereby, upon movement of the driving Geneva wheel means, the Geneva gear wheel is rotatable to actuated and unactuated positions.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 876,207 Mann Jan. 7, 1908 1,474,045 Kratz Nov. 13, 1923 1,863,392 Brand et a1. June 14, 1932 1,866,563 Hammell July 12, 1932 2,973,412 Joseph et a1 Feb. 28, 1961 

